Broken Blossoms
by SaoirseParisa
Summary: She was a Pretty Cure. She had experience fighting monsters and Desertrians. But when a classmate brings a gun to school, intent to kill, Cure Blossom finds herself powerless...and can't do a thing to stop it. Blood streaked the floors. Bullets rang out. Her friend was gone. Rated T for violence and heavy themes.


Broken Blossoms: A Heartcatch Precure one-shot

She had the power to save them. She was their hero. She was supposed to save them, and yet...like the rest of them, she was utterly powerless to do so.

Yet another beautiful day had come to Kibougahana, with milky white light illuminating the entire town, giving it a warm, welcoming glow about it. With her crimson pig tails cascading behind her, Hanasaki Tsubomi kneeled down in front of a small flower bed, showering them with water from the plastic green watering can. A soft smile tickled her pink face as she wondered if they were enjoying taking a little shower.

A shadow loomed over her. "Hey there, Tsubomi-chan!" The bespectacled girl looked up, facing a black haired classmate. "Thanks so much for doing this when Haruko's sick at home," The classmate clasped her hands together in apology.

"I don't mind at all, Sayo-chan," Tsubomi replied sweetly, in her usual clear, pretty voice. "You know how much I love flowers."

"You do have a flower girl image about you," Sayo stared at Tsubomi intensely. The red haired girl backed away some two steps. "You should totally go to a wedding and be a flower girl! You'd be so perfect!"

A flower girl at a wedding. Already, the bespectacled girl could picture it in her mind. Wearing a pristine, lacey white dress, holding a basket full of flowers, scattering their fragile petals all over the red carpet as the bride marched elegantly down the aisle. Her cheeks turned a rosy pink shade, losing herself in dreamland.

"Hey! That reminds me!" Sayo's piercing voice pulled Tsubomi back into reality. "Weren't you and Erika going to have a meeting at the Fashion Club soon?"

Tsubomi's hand almost flew to her throat. "Oh my goodness! I almost forgot-"

A piercing, thundering noise silenced the two of them, along with other students who happened to be nearby. Kids looked up at the sky. What in the world was that? Immediately, unease began to fill the air. "Did you...hear that?" Sayo asked, her voice trembling.

"Yeah…"

Three more bangs rang throughout the school. Even though the girls were outside, the noises were loud enough for even them to hear. Immediately, one girl yanked her cell phone out and dashed from the scene, crying hysterically. The confusion morphed into fear. It took a while for the girls to register what the sounds were: gunshots.

 _Ping pong ping!_ The PA system rang through the school, with a woman's voice on the line. " _Attention, all students and faculty of Kibougahana Junior High!"_ The principal's voice was calm, yet the desperation was imminent. " _There is a student in the school with a gun! I repeat, there is a student in the school with a gun! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!"_ The principal's voice was shaking, almost bordering on hysterical this time. " _Barricade all the classrooms! Take cover wherever possible! Anyone who's outside, leave the premises immediately and call the police! Do not approach the shooter under any circumstances!"_

Student. Gun. Not a drill. Terror seized everyone. The girls surrounding Tsubomi and Sayo ran for their lives, screaming about running to get help.

"We're all gonna die!"

"No we aren't! Stay calm!"

"Are the police here yet?!"

"Where are my friends?!"

"Come on! We need to get out of here, and NOW!"

"I want my mom and dad!"

All of those voices were white noise to Tsubomi. Three things came to mind: Erika. Itsuki. The fashion club. Hands wrapped themselves around her arm. "Tsubomi, come on! We need to leave!"

Leave? Leave her friends behind? "NO!" Tsubomi's voice was so hoarse, it didn't sound as though it belonged to her. "Erika...Itsuki...the other fashion club members...I need to save them!" She pulled out her Heart Perfume and transformed into Cure Blossom within milliseconds. She didn't even feel the need to say her catchphrase.

Skinny arms wrapped around her waist. "No way! That's suicide!" Sayo roared. "You'll get yourself killed! You can't-"

They both froze as two more distant shots rang, followed by faint screams. Cure Blossom couldn't stand it. Someone was still shooting, people could be dying, and she needed to stop them. After all, wasn't this why she received her powers. She broke out of Sayo's grasp and sprinted into the classroom. Other than Sayo's screams from outside, the hallways were eerily quiet.

Bloody red footprints came into view. Soon, the faint sound of crying grew louder with every step she took. Finally, she found the Fashion Club room. Everyone just had to be okay. They just had to be! Already, her heart was racing. She pushed the door open. "YEEEEK!" A wooden chair flew in her direction, almost hitting her right in the face. Only months of experience with fighting Desertrians helped her duck. The chair rattled the wall before falling on the floor with a clang.

"Hey! It's Cure Blossom!" One girl cried.

Cure Blossom opened her eyes. The children had all gathered in one corner of the room, with wooden chairs, desks, piles of clothes, and other odds and ends piled into a cursory makeshift barricade. Cure Blossom's eyes slammed open when she saw Itsuki lying on the floor, with a pool of blood forming around her neck, mingling with her growing, sandy blonde hair. The terror that had seized her grew stronger. She was lying on a beautiful purple dress one of her friends designed Another girl had a huge wad of paper towels pressed against the wound.

But Erika was nowhere in sight.

"Itsuki!" Cure Blossom leaped into the barricade, shoving aside a hysterically weeping girl. "Itsuki! What happened?!" But the pink haired superheroine already knew the answer to that.

"A girl...she came in…" The brown haired girl weeped as she pressed the wad of paper towels on Itsuki's still bleeding wound. The entire wad was an eerie crimson. "...and she started shooting at us. I-I-I-Itsuki jumped in to save me, and she...she…" Words kept on crashing into each other as she attempted to explain everything. "...I don't want to kill her...I don't know if it's helped...I don't want her to choke…"

"You're doing fine!" Another girl exclaimed. Cure Blossom looked down. A Heart Perfume lay dormant next to her body. Reduced to nothing but shards.

"Has anyone called 119?!" A boy holding up three backpacks for protection shouted.

Cure Blossom looked down at Itsuki. Her friend...the ex-student council president's skin was gradually turning grey. Was she…?

"Blossom! Erika-chan just went after her and-"

Erika went after her? The terror increased exponentially. It would be just like her friend to leap into action and take such a big risk. What if she…? No! It couldn't be! She had to be okay! Cure Blossom put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Things will be fine," She told her, along with everyone else. It must be confessed that her voice trembled, barely hiding the growing fear in her heart. "I'll go look for her-"

Another shot. Distant screams echoing on the air. Everyone huddled closer. A girl next to Itsuki cried hysterically as Cure Blossom burst out the door. Another girl reached her hand out, lurching in an attempt to grab Cure Blossom, a futile attempt to hold her back, to no avail. Anyone with even an ounce of sense would have listened to her. However, the pink clad heroine was beyond reason at this point. Erika was in danger, and she needed to save her, and other students and faculty who were here!

Blossom's stilettos stomped across the floors, making loud, clacking sounds with every step. The screams grew louder, easier to make out. She readied her Blossom Tact. She could fight whoever was hurting everyone. Months of fighting monsters would make this easy to resolve. No more bloodshed. No more innocent lives being taken. She burst through the door just in time to see another girl fall.

A girl with curly dark blue hair.

Her Heart Perfume shattered, with two solitary bullets lying amongst the shards, gleaming under the fluorescent lights. A puddle of crimson began to flood the area, intermingling with the girl's blue hair. Dying it deep red. Cure Blossom froze, holding her Blossom Tact like it was the only thing keeping her alive.

"Erika...Erika…" No. This had to be a dream. It had to be a cruel, merciless nightmare. It had to be a nightmare, right?

Erika laid dormant on the floor, completely unmoving as real, red human blood poured out from her forehead. She laid face down. Standing over what remained of her was...another girl, wearing the familiar yellow school uniform. In her right hand was a black gun. The front of her uniform was completely drenched in blood, with some of it going right past her skirt hemline, dirtying her knees. Even the girl's face and glasses were stained.

A girl their age. Just like them, just a regular classmate...she was the one?

The girl turned around. Her green braids swished sideways, her matching pupils shrinking upon seeing the pink heroine. The gun fell right out of her hand, clattering to the ground. Neither girl could move, and their faces showed nothing but naked fear.

In her heart, Cure Blossom kept begging for her friend to wake up. Wake up! Wake up, Erika! Erika was strong. She could handle anything. She expected her to just stand up, laugh, say something like, "You should have seen your face!" then become Cure Marine and stop this mess. No such thing happened. Another part of her was screaming for her to kill this girl. She killed so many innocents. She had to pay for what she had done. She was the hero. She could do this.

Would she?

"...I…" The girl with the green braids stammered, holding her hands up like a shield. "...I...I didn't mean to...I thought she was...Kubota…" Her trembling voice was soft and timid, overcome with sorrow.

Cure Blossom's mind continued to scream. ' _What are you waiting for?! Just shout Precure Pink Forte Wave and send her to Hell!'_ Thank the Gods the police barged into the hallway, bereaving her of the chance to succumb to temptation. All feeling in her legs was drained. Falling to the cold floor, Cure Blossom returned to being just Tsubomi. A man threw a blanket over her as the other policemen escorted the girl away. The girl didn't even protest or resist arrest.

* * *

Once everything was over, a swift investigation followed. As it turned out, the shooter was none other than a girl named Umino Hanako. Tsubomi had seen her in the hall a few times, but never knew her name. But they were cordial to one another, often greeting each other in the halls whenever they saw each other, if only for just a moment. Hanako would always flash that shy, nervous but sweet smile whenever she would wave to Tsubomi. There were times when Tsubomi would see her after school, and she would be chatting with her friends happily. One time, she even saw Hanako give a crying child a candy, and every one of her friends held her in high regard. Sure, Tsubomi didn't know her personally, not to the extent she knew Itsuki and Erika, but she could see that she was a nice girl.

How could she have done something like this, and why? What made her take this course of action?

The answers the police found were easy to find. The news reported that Hanako had been maliciously bullied by classmates, supposedly because she was from a poor family that couldn't afford much, and for getting one of the classmates arrested for possession of drugs on school grounds earlier in the year. The classmates were absolutely relentless. Even reading the articles on the internet made Tsubomi's stomach sink. One time, some girls made Hanako eat dead wasps. How she was able to not get poisoned or seriously hurt from that was anyone's guess. On another occasion, the very same group of girls made a mini faux memorial on her desk, complete with a wreath, her picture, and condolence cards with profanities written inside, along with other degrading comments. Those were only two of many awful events that spurred Hanako deeper into despair.

It seemed like it would never end. Since Japan had strict gun laws, Hanako confessed that she paid someone to steal a gun and bullets from a local police officer, since she was too young to buy one herself, and didn't have a permit. Who in their right mind would sell a gun to a middle school girl? Nobody, that's who. Tsubomi had to wonder if Hanako had been sent over the edge and couldn't take it anymore. Those girls had no right to be so cruel to her...but was murdering them really going to make it all better?

Ten students and four teachers had died that day. One of them was Kurumi Erika. Tsubomi's friend, the first person she befriended when she moved into Kibougahana. Now she was gone. Like she never existed. This was cruel. Far too cruel. Erika did nothing to deserve this. None of them did.

Even so, life went on. There wasn't much anyone could do but deal with it. About a week and four days had passed. The first thing Tsubomi did every morning was pull her curtains back. Usually at this time, she would see Erika right on the other side, struggling to get ready, shouting or probably making a fool of herself. Tsubomi would always say, "Good morning, Erika!" and smile, like she always did, and Erika would reply back.

Now, she was no longer there, and never would be.

Knowing that this was going to be the case forevermore made the tears flow. Even now, she could still hear Erika's voice echoing in her head. "Good morning, Tsubomi! Let's go to school together!" Never again would they converse like they used to.

The first school day since the incident seemed to drag on for eternity. After all that time, some form of normalcy had to set in. It was all the students and faculty could do: go on. But this was a new kind of normal. An odd, pervasive, almost fearful kind of normal. One where nobody met their eyes in the halls. One where strangeness was accepted, understood, shared, even. One where nobody looked their best.

Nobody questioned why one of the boys would jump at the slightest sound and hold his backpack up like a shield. Nobody questioned why Nanami never combed her hair anymore. Nobody questioned why one of the girls would spend hours in the bathroom, washing her hands with so much soap and water that they'd turn chapped and red like a tomato. Nobody questioned why one of the boys would draw extremely violent, bloody, and grotesque monsters or murder scenes in his notebooks during study hall. In fact, most students found themselves coming late to school almost all the time now. Everyone's eyes were red and puffy. Whether it was from lack of sleep or a lot of crying, Tsubomi wasn't sure. A combination of both, maybe.

It was all so familiar...yet so utterly unfamiliar at the same time.

"Everyone?" The teacher announced. "The school has begun hiring grief counselors so you can…" Her voice caught in her throat. "...talk about what happened on your own time. I know...this is hard. For all of us."

It wasn't hard. Hard was a colossal, millennial understatement. The whole thing was downright obliterating. Tsubomi laid her head down on her desk, wrapping her arms around herself, letting darkness swallow her up. The pain was too much. Erika was gone. Most of her friends were gone. The worst part of it all was that...she had all the power in the world to stop it, but she didn't.

Why?

When the final bell rang, Tsubomi attempted to drag herself home. Before, she always looked forward to walking back home from school. Erika and Itsuki would accompany her. But Erika was gone, and Tsubomi would have to walk home without her. Forever.

A hand took one of Tsubomi's, forcing her to turn right around. There was Itsuki, in her school uniform, her hair having been cut, and a yellow bandana hid the scars and bullet wounds from everyone. Itsuki pulled out a notepad and a pen, wrote something in it, and showed it to Tsubomi.

" _Tsubomi-chan...don't blame yourself for this. I know you've been sad all day,"_ She wrote.

"...Don't lie," Tsubomi choked out, her voice adopting an uncharacteristically bitter venom to it. Seeing the notepad made her look away. Hanako silenced Itsuki permanently. "I should have been able to stop her...but I didn't! I...I froze, and…"

Once again, Itsuki wrote something down. The pencil she held seemed to move faster than Tsubomi's eyes could keep up with. " _Potpourri told me that our Precure powers don't work on humans. Even if you tried to stop her, there's no way you could have, and you would have gotten hurt, too."_

"I...I had to do something!" The tears came pouring out. Snot came running out of Tsubomi's nose, not that either of them cared. Tsubomi's voice was bordering on hysterical. "Erika and most of our friends are gone because I was weak!"

" _Umino-san would have killed people whether you were powerless or not,"_ Itsuki wrote, freezing the fragile, red haired girl in place with a glare.

"You can't even talk now!"

Itsuki hastily wrote, " _I can make do."_

"Erika...everyone...none of them deserved this!" Tsubomi's hands flew to her face.

Itsuki's glare morphed into a soft expression of concern as she wrapped her own arms around her friend, pulling her close and letting her cry. After a few moments, Tsubomi's voice softened as she whimpered, "Itsuki...I'm...happy you're alive."

The sandy blonde haired girl wrote, " _Me too,"_ in her notepad. Then she suddenly wrote, " _I feel the same about you. But please...don't blame yourself. Erika wouldn't want you to feel personally responsible for this."_

Tsubomi had to admit, her friend had a point.

" _Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you out."_

"Thanks, but...I can manage for now," She lied. Inside, she was a screaming mess. But she didn't want to let Itsuki know that. She didn't need to know. Itsuki had enough problems already. "I better get home. I don't want Mom and Dad to worry about me."

Tsubomi was already down the street before Itsuki had a chance to say goodbye for the day. But to tell the truth, Tsubomi wanted to burst. Explode. Scream. Let all those feelings out. Anger. Frustration. Regret. Sorrow. Guilt. Itsuki didn't need to be burdened with more baggage. Seeing Erika's sister, Momoka, and her mother, Sakura, sitting on the porch crying together didn't exactly elevate Tsubomi's mood much either. She froze at the sight. Momoka was bawling, with her hands covering her face, her lavender hair a disheveled mess. Erika's mother had her arms wrapped around her in a futile attempt to console her, herself attempting to keep a calm, composed expression. But Tsubomi could see the silent tears flow tenderly down her aging cheeks.

It hit Tsubomi right there. She wasn't the only one who felt Erika's new, permanent absence. Momoka lost a little sister. Their parents lost a beloved daughter. The family lost an important piece of them, never to be retrieved. Tsubomi couldn't imagine the pain they were going through right now. Losing a sister and a daughter...a beloved member of the family...Tsubomi's heart sank to the pit of her stomach.

Sakura looked up, seeing the bespectacled redhead just ten feet away. "Tsubomi-chan…" She unwrapped her arms from around Momoka.

Hearing her mother's low voice, Momoka looked up, wondering what was going on. Then she also met Tsubomi's eyes. Momoka hastily wiped her tears and stood up in alarm. "Tsubomi-chan!" All of a sudden, Momoka ran over to the red haired girl and wrapped her own arms around her. "Tsubomi-chan...I...I'm glad you're okay."

Tears melted onto Tsubomi's cheeks. Why was Momoka relieved? Her sister died, and here she was showing concern for her sister's friend. "I...I'm sorry...for your loss," That was all she could choke out, but it still felt hollow. What else could she do? She knew saying that wouldn't even come close to ease their pain. No, nothing she did would. Guilt began pulling her downward. "It's...my fault she's-"

"No!" Momoka suddenly adopted a stern expression. "It's not your fault, Tsubomi-chan!" She gripped the girl's shoulders, looking her right in the eye. "Erika...loved you very much! She considered you one of her best friends in the whole world! She told me once that if you were ever in danger, she would die for you...and she did!"

As much as Tsubomi appreciated Momoka's attempt to console her, it didn't ease her own painful feelings of guilt, even a little.

"Tsubomi-chan…" Sakura joined Momoka's side. "We know how important she was to you, too. If there's anything we can do to help, don't hesitate to let us know."

"But...you've gone through so much…" Tsubomi found herself flabbergasted. Even though they were going through unimaginable pain, a pain she would never understand, they still found it in their hearts to show compassion to someone else in their own time of need.

"Momoka's right. Erika loved you dearly, and we do, too," Sakura told her kindly. "You're part of our family, you know."

Family...Tsubomi had seen the Kurumis as friends. Just friends. Erika was her first friend, yes, and of course she cherished her above all her friends, but her family was equally important. She couldn't believe that the Kurumis, in spite of their own pain, would still extend a helping hand to someone else. In her mind, the one responsible for Erika's death.

Tsubomi couldn't afford to stay there. It was too much. She said goodbye to them before heading into the greenhouse, where her grandmother took care of all her plants. Sitting in the middle of the greenhouse was Coupe, her grandmother's fairy companion from when she was Cure Flower. He was always still, like a mannequin. But his fur was soft and his heart was big. As soon as she laid eyes on him, the tears came pouring out.

"Coupe-sama!" Tsubomi launched herself into Coupe's heart shaped chest, burying herself in his fur, bawling and howling, releasing all the sorrow that had accumulated up to that point.

None of this needed to happen. None of it. Nobody deserved to be hurt like this. That was what hurt Tsubomi most of all. All of this could have been prevented. If only things had been different. Tsubomi didn't know how long she cried into Coupe's chest. By the time she pulled herself out of his fur, red faced and snot running down her nose, she had met her grandmother's eyes. Her grandmother said nothing, keeping her distance and allowing Tsubomi to take time to compose herself.

"Tsubomi…"

"Sorry, Grandma. I...I needed that," Tsubomi whimpered, wiping away her tears with one hand.

"It's alright. Coupe understands. He was always there for me when I needed him," Kaoruko beckoned for Tsubomi to sit down.

The two women sat down on a bench in the greenhouse, saying nothing. No words were exchanged. What could they possibly say in a time like this? Tsubomi laid her head on her grandmother's shoulder, silently letting tears fall. Kaoruko simply stroke her granddaughter's hair with a wrinkled, aging hand. Both of their hearts ached, heaving with pain. The only sounds they heard were rustling leaves and Tsubomi sobbing against Kaoruko's shoulder. The older woman stroke Tsubomi's crimson hair over and over until she cried herself out. She didn't mind if her coat was soaked with tears and snot. It was nothing a run through the washer wouldn't clean up.

"...I liked her."

"Hm?" Kaoruko arched an eyebrow. Tsubomi's voice was small and far away, muffled against Kaoruko's coat, but the old woman's aging ears could still hear even small sounds.

"Hanako-chan," Tsubomi clarified. "I didn't know her too well, and...we barely got the chance to really talk...but she was nice. I liked her," Kaoruko stroke Tsubomi's hair once more, combing her pigtails until they were smooth and sleek. "How could she...do this? Why did she...think this would-?"

"I don't know, Tsubomi," Kaoruko replied, hoarse voice full of regret and guilt. Guilt for not being able to give her granddaughter a dignified answer. For not being able to help prevent this in her own way. For not being able to take Tsubomi's pain away. "I don't know. We don't know what went on in Hanako's head during that time. We can't read minds. But in a way, knowing the answers doesn't make it any easier."

Tsubomi couldn't help but agree with her there. Knowing why it happened wouldn't bring Erika or the others back.

* * *

The day of Erika's funeral came quickly, and Tsubomi spent her time there in a sort of haze. It was almost surreal. Hearing the Kurumis talk about Erika while standing in front of a podium. Seeing her picture up on a wreath of flowers. Seeing Erika lying peacefully in a big mahogany coffin, about to be buried into the ground for the worms to eat. People lighting incense. Yeah, like making the place smell nice would do anything, Tsubomi thought bitterly. She wasn't stupid. She knew what all of this would entail. At the same time, however, none of it truly felt real.

Fittingly, the skies of Kibougahana decided to spare its citizens the indecency of being sunny and bright, so it invited the clouds to block it off, giving them some much needed space on this somber day. Tsubomi hid behind a large tree, making herself scarce. Away from the crowds of people and the newly placed headstone where Erika's coffin was buried. Tears melted onto her black dress. She hadn't brought a handkerchief with her, but at this point, she didn't care. Nothing could possibly fill the Erika sized hole in her heart. Just being around everyone made her feel like all of her energy was being sucked right out of her.

"Tsubomi?"

She turned around. A familiar face stood before her, with deep, sleek violet hair trailing down past her shoulders, solemn eyes gleaming behind her thick spectacles. Like Tsubomi, the teenager also wore a simple black dress and matching high heels.

"Yuri-san…"

"Would you mind if I joined you?" Yuri asked in a soft, far away voice.

Tsubomi said nothing, but she nodded, giving the teenager her permission. Yuri leaned against the side of the tree, right next to Tsubomi. The wind carried her violet hair, lifting it up a little. Tsubomi couldn't help but be in awe of Yuri. Even now, even when she was sad and mourning the loss of their friend, she still managed to look so elegant and grown up. Brave, even. No. Tsubomi shook her head. Why was she thinking this? She could tell Yuri was trying to keep it together, just like she herself was. Besides, Yuri already lost both her father and fairy companion.

Now she lost another friend and teammate.

"It's funny," Yuri suddenly mused aloud. "It seems quiet without Erika. Sometimes I still expect her to just pop right out and shout something funny, like usual."

Tsubomi had no idea how to take that.

All she knew was that something was boiling up inside her. Anger, gnawing at her heart, like an awful wounded animal lashing out and refusing to die. Hanako...it was all Hanako's fault that Erika was gone. All of it was! Not just Erika, but other students and faculty who lost their lives. None of this had to happen. This shouldn't have happened at all. Tsubomi knew why it happened...but knowing didn't lessen the pain. Knowing wasn't going to bring everyone back, Erika included. Knowing wasn't going to restore Itsuki's voice. Knowing wasn't going to make everything go back to the way it was.

"...Yuri-san?"

"Hm?"

"Do you know which jail they sent Hanako to?"

Yuri held a hand to her chin, ruminating. "I think they sent her to the one at the other end of town. The jail by the police station was full, last I heard."

Balling one of her hands into a fist, Tsubomi began to amble away from the tree. She didn't make it two steps before she felt a stern gaze freezing her in place.

"You plan on confronting her, don't you?"

Tsubomi didn't move. Not even an inch. Yuri could see Tsubomi's fists trembling. She was holding back her anger. Yuri couldn't blame her for being angry. If anything, Yuri felt that her friend had every right to be angry. To lash out, scream, cry, howl, shout to the heavens, curse Hanako for the crimes she committed. That anger had to go somewhere. Keeping it in would only make things worse. After all, Yuri had been in Tsubomi's shoes once. She could see Tsubomi clenching her teeth.

"I know why she did it. I do," Tsubomi said, her voice trembling. "But still...I want to hear it from her mouth. I...I can't understand it. I don't understand any of this…!"

"I know. I know," Yuri could only place a hand on Tsubomi's shoulder. She knew it wouldn't do much to console her younger friend any. But what else could she do?

It struck her like a lightning bolt right then and there. Actually, there was one thing…

"...Do you remember our battle with Dune?"

Tsubomi looked up, meeting the teenager's eyes. "I do. Yeah."

The memory of that tumultuous battle was vivid in her mind, like she had been through it yesterday. The world falling to chaos. Yuri's father sacrificing his life. Dune destroying everything before their eyes. Reducing the entire world to a barren desert, encasing most, if not all, of their families and friends in crystals. The burning, hateful glare in Yuri's eyes as she attempted to make Dune pay for killing her father and Cologne...and Tsubomi stopping her.

"When I saw Dune...do what he did to my father…" Yuri paused for a brief moment, then continued. "I wanted so badly to make him pay...to make him feel the pain that I felt...but you stopped me."

Now that, Tsubomi remembered clearly. She even remembered everything she had said to Yuri that day.

" _Please don't fight with your anger and hatred."_

" _But I...I hate him! It's his fault Father and Cologne are dead! If I can turn my hatred into my strength, then so be it!"_

" _Don't say stuff like that! The Yuri I know...the Yuri I love would never say stuff like that! Please...you'll lose for sure if you fight with hatred. You have to face your sadness and hatred and overcome it on your own terms! What did we work so hard to become Pretty Cure for? What did your father and Cologne entrust to you?_

" _But...but…"_

" _Tsukikage Yuri! You're Cure Moonlight, and I always looked up to you! What do you want to do? What should you do? What are you fighting for? You need to think!"_

Yes...when Yuri was at her absolute lowest point, Tsubomi remembered. She was the one who pulled her out of it. Tsubomi, battered, beaten, and near the zenith of her despair herself, kept Yuri from going over the edge. Everything seemed so hopeless that day, so desolate...but Tsubomi kept on believing something could be done. She knew that battle with Dune wasn't the end. If her friends gave up, who would help everyone? Who would stop Dune from completely destroying everything? But none of them gave up, and look what happened. The world was saved. Dune was gone.

But this was different. This wasn't a monster or a Desertrian. Hanako was a human being. Hanako killed people with a gun. This wasn't the same as purifying a Desertrian and turning someone back to normal. Tsubomi kept reminding herself this every single day. Did everything she say to Yuri back then even apply to what was going on now? Nothing she could do could ever bring everyone back. Tsubomi balled her hands into fists. God, she wanted to just scream to the sky. Scream how much she hated Hanako for taking her friend away, for hurting everyone by doing what she did.

"I'm not asking you to forgive Hanako-san," Yuri told her calmly. "To be honest, I haven't quite forgiven her myself. But if you do plan on seeing her, only do it when you feel you're ready. Take some time for yourself. It's like you said to me back then: don't let anger and hatred consume you."

Another brief pause.

"I don't blame you for being angry. We all are. I'd rather you let your feelings out than keep it all inside. Like you told me, it's better if we face our hatred and sadness and overcome it when we're ready," Yuri continued, her voice soft and tone sympathetic. "But if you really do want to confront her, I'd advise against doing it in a way you're sure to regret. At least wait until you feel you know you can handle yourself."

Tsubomi had to admit, her friend made good points. Very good points. What good was there in being angry? That wasn't the kind of life Tsubomi wanted to live. A life full of anger, hatred, and sorrow. Erika certainly wouldn't want that. Her own family wouldn't want that, either. Her parents always tried to make sure Tsubomi had a life full of love and affection. They taught her to be kind and to see the good in people. To see the good life had to offer. Tsubomi wasn't sure if she could ever see the good in life ever again. But Yuri was right. All the hatred and anger in her heart was starting to take over. She didn't want that.

"I understand," Tsubomi finally replied. "Thank you, Yuri-san."

With a sympathetic smile, Yuri pulled Tsubomi close. The warmth of her friend's comforting arms was better than any winter jacket she could ever wear. That made the funeral much more bearable.

* * *

It took two whole weeks for Tsubomi to get herself composed enough to feel she was ready to visit Hanako.

It was just a short train ride from the nearest station, but the precinct itself was at the end of town. Far away from everything Tsubomi knew and was familiar with. She couldn't help but find it oddly fitting, keeping Hanako away from all those she hurt and killed. Tsubomi found herself standing in front of the West Kibougahana Police Precinct. An officer in a clean, navy blue uniform greeted her.

"I'm here to visit Hanako Umino."

"Does she know you're coming?"

Tsubomi shook her head. "No."

"Come on inside," The officer escorted her inside, leading her past the lobby and down some corridors. Tsubomi had to go through processing, getting a visitor's tag, and all those other things, but at this point, she was barely paying attention. The more Tsubomi walked, the more the scenery around her changed. A back door to the precinct led to what Tsubomi could assume was the visitation room. It was a plain, empty room, with pristine silver walls, square tables and metal chairs all over, all arranged in neat, linear rows. Not a single table or chair was out of place at the moment, as the room itself was completely empty save for herself, the officer, and some security guards. The entire room made Tsubomi shrink a little bit. It was so bare, even a little oppressive. There was no life or decoration to it at all. She knew why it was like this, but still, Tsubomi could feel herself shiver.

Then, a mechanical screeching sound rang through the room, and some doors in the back of the room opened. Two officers stood on both sides of a prisoner they escorted to a nearby table. Tsubomi sat down and watched as the prisoner came closer. The girl wore an orange jumpsuit, covering her from neck to toe, her wrists and ankles bound together by handcuffs and chains. Hanako's green hair was tied into neat braids, but her glasses were a little lopsided. Then, one of the officers motioned for her to sit down, right across from Tsubomi. The two were face to face.

The anger that Tsubomi tried so hard to hold back was threatening to pop right out. Tsubomi balled her hands into fists and clenched her teeth. Sitting right in front of her was the girl who killed Erika. The girl who killed fourteen people in her school. Red started to color her vision. Hanako Umino took her friend away and hurt so many people. It took everything she had to keep herself together. But by God, did she want to rip Hanako's heart out and tear it to pieces. Tsubomi had to admit, it was a miracle she hadn't lunged at the girl by now. Then again, Tsubomi was always mild-tempered and docile, preferring to resolve conflict rather than take part in it or make it worse. She silently scolded herself for thinking such awful thoughts.

Not only that, Hanako still looked as meek and mousy as she did back in school. Her large, coke bottle glasses still hid her glassy eyes, and her frame was still as delicate and dainty as ever. She looked so small, weak, and pathetic. Nothing like the image most people had of criminals, much less school shooters. In some way, Tsubomi could still see the girl who waved at her in the halls, who always flashed that nervous smile at her, who gave a child a piece of candy to make her happy. But here she was, bound with handcuffs and chains, wearing a ghastly orange jumpsuit that looked a little too big for her, and sitting right in front of her. No words were exchanged for a moment. All they did was stare at each other, unable to say anything. What could they possibly say to each other?

Eventually, Hanako was the one to break the silence. "...Why are you here?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You have no reason to."

Tsubomi kept her eyes focused on Hanako's hands. "Because I want to know why...you did what you did."

"It's all over the media. Ever checked the internet?" Hanako's voice now had an uncharacteristic bitterness to it that Tsubomi never heard before. It almost sounded like she had completely given up on everything.

"I know. But I want to hear it from you," Tsubomi affirmed. "I want to understand...why you felt that...taking a gun and shooting people...was the answer."

Another pause. More silence. Then Tsubomi spoke this time.

"I heard about what those girls did to you," She began. "You definitely didn't deserve to be treated like that. Nobody does. But...did they really need to die? You could have told a teacher or your parents or-"

Hanako cut her off. "I did all of that and more. None of it worked. I told every teacher I know. I told my parents. I told the principal. What little friends I had even confronted them, in public to boot. I even reported them to the school counselor. Nothing worked. They refused to stop no matter what we did. I tried...and I tried and I tried and I tried...none of it made any difference," Tears fell onto the metal table. Hanako's hands trembled. Her voice went from low and stony to almost a high pitched whimper. "They were absolutely relentless. You have no idea how horrible they were...especially Kubota. She was the absolute worst!"

Tsubomi looked away, staring out the window. Seeing Hanako look so small and fragile was too much. It hurt her heart to not only hear of the atrocities Hanako had to endure, but hearing them from Hanako herself. For what it was worth, Hanako did try to rectify the problem and make use of any resource and support she had. Still, Tsubomi knew the bullying didn't justify killing people. But she could tell that Hanako seemed to know that as well.

"...I won't try to justify myself," Hanako said. "I'm willing to accept all responsibility for my actions."

"I'm glad. At least you admit it," Tsubomi choked out. "But...what I want to know is...why did you kill Erika?"

At first, Hanako couldn't answer. Her eyes shrunk for a bit, then she inhaled a sharp breath. Tsubomi could see the regret and remorse in her face clear as day. "I...I didn't mean to. Honest. She approached me so suddenly...and I thought she was Kubota. Kubota had...wavy dark blue hair."

Dark blue hair. So that was it. Mistaken identity.

"I thought...Kubota was going to hurt me again…" This time, Hanako buried her face in her hands, whimpering openly.

Tsubomi couldn't help but hiss, "Kurumi Erika was my friend."

"I know."

More silence. The girls didn't speak any further for what seemed to be an eternity. Other than Hanako's whimpering and Tsubomi tapping her shoe against the floor, the room was completely silent. Hanako's eyes were red and puffy now, and she wiped a tear away.

"...I wish we could have met long before this," Tsubomi finally whispered. "Maybe...we could have been friends. Maybe I could have helped you. Protected you from Kubota and her friends."

Hanako grimly shook her head. "It wouldn't have made any difference. She'd just make you her personal chew toy. Just like me."

One strand of Tsubomi's red hair fluttered in front of her face. Tsubomi pushed it away with one hand. "I can't say I really understand what it's like to be bullied, much less as viciously as you were. But...I know what it's like to be alone. To feel like nothing you do will ever matter, like you'll never ever be happy, to feel so lonely you just want to cry and cry forever. However," This time, Tsubomi shot a firm, no-nonsense glare in Hanako's direction. "I didn't give up. I never resorted to hurting people, much less killing them. That's never the answer. You knew that too, right?"

Again, for a brief moment, Hanako had no words. But her silence told Tsubomi all she needed to know. It helped that Hanako made no effort to make excuses or justify her actions. Tsubomi did give her that. She knew Hanako wasn't a monster. No human being could truly be a monster.

"...I'm sorry I killed Kurumi-san."

What? Tsubomi looked her straight in the face. Did Hanako actually apologize for killing Erika? Tsubomi didn't expect that. Well, she did want Hanako to apologize, but she assumed she'd never get one. Besides, apologizing wouldn't bring Erika or everyone else she killed back from the dead. Even so, Tsubomi could tell Hanako meant what she said. Hanako had only remorse in her eyes.

"Thank you," Tsubomi told her.

"But I must admit...I'm not sorry for killing Kubota's friends. They needed to die...nothing else worked. Now that they're gone, they won't hurt anyone else," Hanako admitted, her voice back to being low and stone hard. She clenched her fists. "Call me a monster or demon if you will. You can say I'm heartless or non-empathic or whatever. I don't care what anyone says about me anymore. I even wish I had killed Kubota instead of Kurumi-san. She deserved to-"

"Nobody deserves to die!" Tsubomi suddenly exclaimed, standing up from her seat. "Nobody! I know you know that in your heart! All killing people does is bring forth more pain, both for yourself and the people you killed!"

Another brief pause. Hanako nodded. "...I see that now."

Tsubomi continued to stand. She didn't sit down. Her legs felt like jelly, her eyes stung, and her hands were still shaking. But she kept herself together. She took a deep breath, then exhaled. Now she remembered what she wanted to say. "Hanako-san. Don't get me wrong. I agree with you in that Kubota and her friends should have been dealt with, that way none of this wouldn't have happened. They should never have treated you the way they did. I do sympathize with you and your plight. However...coming to school with a gun and killing them wasn't the answer."

Hanako didn't move an inch. Tsubomi could tell the girl was simply taking it all in.

"To be honest...I don't think...I can forgive you right now."

The green haired girl nodded in agreement. "That's fair. I did do something horrible, so I don't expect you or anyone to forgive me."

It was at this time that Tsubomi decided she had enough. She said her piece and finally confronted Hanako. There was no more reason to be here. She turned around, ready to walk out the door.

"Umm…" Hanako choked out. "Thank you...for visiting me...and for the good times we did share, short as they were."

What was she supposed to say to that? For once, Tsubomi had no answer. All she could do was walk out the door, leaving Hanako in the visitation room.

Once she got to the entrance, Tsubomi leaned against the wall. She felt like all the energy had been sapped out of her. All she did was visit someone in jail, and she wanted to collapse so badly. But she noticed something white out of the corner of her eye. She turned to her left and saw a small flower garden next to the porch. One clump of white flowers clustered together, resembling a snowflake. However, two of the flowers were squished into the dirt, their dainty white petals scattered all about. Tsubomi's eyes widened. She knew that flower.

A white cyclamen.

Erika's Heart Flower.

Cyclamen had plenty of meanings in the language of flowers. One of them was sincere or deep love. Giving some to someone meant that you were expressing your deep feelings for them. But they could be poisonous, especially to dogs and cats. One had to be careful when raising them. Here were two broken blossoms, never to grow or display their beauty again. Another meaning they had was...goodbye.

Tears trickled down Tsubomi's cheeks, dripping off of her chin. Not wanting to stay at the precinct anymore, Tsubomi ran, looking for a nearby bench or someplace she could sit. A wooden bench came within her line of sight, and she sat right down before burying her face in her hands and bawling. It was then that it finally hit her. Erika was truly gone. Never again would Erika-Cure Marine-grace this world with her presence or do the things she wanted to do with her family and friends. Erika would never become a fashion designer like she always dreamed. They'd never be able to spend their lives together. The whole thing was completely unfair. Absolutely unfair!

Tsubomi let herself cry, releasing all of her anger and sorrow, hoping this would be the last of it. It seemed like all she felt was angry and sad, or a strange combination of both. But this time...Tsubomi felt strangely satisfied now. All the other times she cried over Erika's death, it never seemed to relieve her. It never seemed to quell all of the awful feelings she had swirling inside her. It never felt like she actually let all of it out no matter how much she cried. Today was different. She finally felt like herself. It finally felt like she could actually...move forward.

It seemed so surreal.

Her cell phone burst to life with a lively tune. She pulled it out and opened it. It was a text from Itsuki.

 _Are you coming to the fashion club tomorrow?_

Tsubomi was quick to type out a reply. _I don't know. Maybe. But I'm not sure. I might need to watch Futaba._

Futaba was Tsubomi's little sister, only born about a year or so ago. Itsuki fired back, _Alright. What do you plan on doing, then?_

The white cyclamens flashed through her mind. That was it. She could do that. For the first time in a long while, she finally smiled as she typed her reply.

 _Buy some cyclamen seeds._

* * *

 **A/N** : With respect, prayers, and condolences to all victims and survivors of gun violence.

Seriously. Look at all that's happened. Sandy Hook, the Aurora Theater Shooting, that Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Columbine, Virginia Tech, San Bernardino, the recent Las Vegas shooting back in October...why do people even feel the need to shoot people in public places and show absolutely no concern for human lives? Don't people have better things to do than just up and kill innocent people? The fact that these massacres are happening is just plain terrible on every level imaginable. This needs to stop.

And for those of you who are about to say, "But this subject matter is completely inappropriate for something like Pretty Cure!" To that I say: Says who? I don't remember there being rules for what subject matter can be drawn or written for what fandom. That's why fan fiction exists, for fans to write stuff about their favorite show that the show itself wouldn't allow, whether it be dark, edgy, or realistic stories for lighthearted kids shows, or fun, fluffy, and comedic stories for dark and grim media like Grand Theft Auto, Attack on Titan, Bayonetta, Persona, or Fallout. Who are you to tell me I shouldn't write certain stories because you don't think certain ideas should be allowed into the fandom? I have no right to force people to write, nor force my own ideas on someone else for my own personal agenda.


End file.
